Everyone wants to get paid when they work hard on a construction job, especially in Illinois. What they don’t know is that in the event that someone doesn’t end up paying on time, or even a belligerent customer that is refusing to pay, you can actually get the rights to file a mechanic’s lien in Illinois, which ultimately guarantees you, and other contractors their money be paid, depending on certain situations and criteria, as well as timing. In this guide we’re going to tell you a little bit about how you can file a mechanic’s lien in Illinois, and their specific state rules.
Commercial Liens
Commercial liens can actually be covered if the customer receives a courtesy notice, this is just a friendly reminder to the customer that should be sent before filing for a lien. In the state of Illinois, you will have to go to the county that your job actually is in, and file a mechanic’s lien in the County Recorder’s office. Do keep in mind that you have to go to the correct office as well. Once you have had a good company like Bicanet give the go-ahead that you have the right to file a mechanic’s lien (they’ll often send the courtesy letter), then you can go ahead and file your notice to file a lien to the commercial customer. This notice has to be done within the first 90 days of the last day in which materials or labor are placed at the job site. This will start the process so you can get paid.
Residential Jobs Are Different
In the even that you’re filing a lien for a residential construction project, you actually have to give the notice to the owner stating that if it’s not paid, you’ll send a notice of intention to file a lien. This is a preliminary notice, and will let them know that if they don’t pay you after a job is done, then you’re going to do whatever you have to legally to get your money.
Once the job is complete, the same statues apply as a commercial job as far as how many days you have to send the notice of intent to the customer.
Have Your Info Correct
When you file your lien, you need to have all the paperwork ready, because there is a lot of detail that is involved in the process. You need to fill out your information, the property owner’s contact information, as well as the hiring party (if it is your client, you can simply use this info), then a detailed list of services, materials, and anything that you had to spend money on. Be prepared to keep receipts, because you may need them in this event. On top of this, you need to have all your dates right and get the document notarized and signed.
Conclusion
In order to have the best possible insurance on your side that you will not only have the right to file a mechanic’s lien, but that it is all done correctly, you can count on a quality lien service to provide the necessary documents for you, and get your foot in the door.
